1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments relate generally to television viewing, and more particularly to virtual communal television viewing.
2. Background Art
Television viewing has become a largely individual experience. Members of a household may have different viewing preferences and may each view television independently using different television sets. For viewers in different households, television systems cannot provide the social experience of communal viewing. However, social interaction remains a compelling enhancement, as evidenced by the popularity of technologies such as interactive gaming services including Xbox LIVE® and PlayStation® Network. For example, a participant can display a program using an Xbox® console and communicate with other participants using Xbox LIVE Voice over Internet Protocol (Voice over IP, VoIP). Thus, it would be desirable to enable users of television content to enjoy the social experience of communal viewing.
The present embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers may indicate identical or functionally similar elements.